Ditch the Scale?

I don’t know about you but I certainly have a love/hate relationship with the bathroom scale. 

In my adult (and teenage) life there have been so many instances where I have stepped on the scale only to feel defeated and angry that the numbers have gone up instead of down or stayed the same.

And it would put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day!

Or

Maybe the opposite occurred and the number on the scale went down which would put me in a great mood. 

Should a bathroom scale determine my mood?  Heck NO!

Have you ever felt this way? 

Over the years I have found other ways to gauge my weight fluctuations that, for me, are healthier. 

Now does this mean I never step on the scale?  No, I get on it a few times a month. 

However, as we step on the scale, we must remember that our body is always in flux…water weight, menstrual cycle, etc…

So here are a few other ways I determine if I am making progress without spending too much time on the bathroom scale.

• How do I feel after I eat? Am I satisfied?  I always try to finish a meal about 80% full.  This way I don’t feel stuffed, have filled my body with fresh foods so there is less room for the processed crap that will rev up my appetite.

• What is my energy level throughout the day? How do I wake up in the morning (before my alarm?)  Lately, I was waking up completely exhausted.  I made a few subtle shifts (drinking more water and going to bed 30 min earlier) and within 2-3 days was waking before my alarm again!

• How do my clothes feel? Are they a little looser in the waist?  Sometimes I find that the scale goes up but my clothing size goes down or I fit better in pants than I did before.

• What is my mood like? Am I hangry or do I feel motivated and clear-headed?

While these are more subjective indicators of progress, I find that they allow me to maintain a lifestyle rather than a diet where I can plan, anticipate obstacles, naturally gravitate toward whole, unprocessed foods and practice intuitive eating.

What is your relationship with the bathroom scale?  I would love to hear your thoughts!